§ 6. Mr. THURTLEasked the Under-Secretary of State for India the latest available figures of persons now under detention in India for political offences; and how many of these persons so detained have not had their cases subjected to the examination of a court of law?
§ Mr. BUTLERThe statistics compiled by the Government of India do not include any separate classification in 534 respect of political offences, but the number of persons convicted of offences connected with the Civil Disobedience Movement who were reported to be still in prison at the end of September is 21. As regards the number of persons in prison without trial, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given last Thursday, 5th December, to a question asked by the hon. Member for West Fife (Mr. Gallacher).
§ 9. Mr. LANSBURYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Government will celebrate Christmas and the New Year by recommending the Viceroy of India to grant an amnesty to all political prisoners whose offences were of a non-violent character?
§ Mr. BUTLERNo, Sir. My Noble Friend is fully content to leave this matter to the discretion of the Viceroy, who so far as he is aware is not contemplating any action of the kind suggested. I would point out that of the convicted Civil Disobedience prisoners only 21 remained in prison at the end of September last.